Clinical and professional practitioners can choose from a wealth of track program events during ObesityWeek 2026, Nov. 14–17, in Washington, DC.
Laura H. Goetz, MD, MPH, DABOM
Laura H. Goetz, MD, MPH, DABOM, chair of Track 5: Clinical and Professional Practice, described the track’s sessions as a mix of cutting-edge topics and core skills.
“We are presenting themes that all providers are currently talking about—the latest and greatest research and clinical practice,” said Dr. Goetz, director of precision medicine at HonorHealth Research Institute and research professor at Arizona State University’s John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering. She pointed to the Nov. 14 symposium Bariatric Surgery: What’s New, What’s True and What’s Next? as an example of a session that will draw on the most recent clinical insights.
We are presenting new information and core themes, covering all the professions and specialties that are involved in obesity medicine—and in each aspect we are ensuring that the patient is at the center of our focus.
John Cleek, MD, FTOS, the track co-chair, said the Clinical and Professional Practice track programming was designed to bridge data-driven science with clinical utility. As an example, he pointed to a Nov. 17 symposium, The Unspoken Side-Effects: Navigating the Mental Shifts of Weight Loss.
“Even when we know how to help a patient lose weight, once they start that process, they experience real psychological and neurobiological changes that are highly individualized. To provide the best care, it is important to bridge the basic science with clinical approaches that consider how it might affect a particular patient’s sense of reward, their stress patterns, or their emotional control,” said Dr. Cleek, who practices internal medicine and obesity medicine with Novant Health in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
The mental health and weight loss session is one of many in the Clinical and Professional Practice track that includes a patient advocate. Dr. Goetz noted the importance of hearing this lived experience and expertise.
“We are presenting new information and core themes, covering all the professions and specialties that are involved in obesity medicine—and in each aspect we are ensuring that the patient is at the center of our focus,” Dr. Goetz said.
Dr. Goetz suggested attendees review the full program before the meeting and schedule their own selection of key symposia, lectures, and other must-attend events. Attendees can also receive personalized schedule recommendations by using the online “Build Your Personal Agenda” tool.
Dr. Goetz also advised attendees to leave time to network, adding that meeting with colleagues is one of the greatest benefits of the gathering.
“ObesityWeek is an opportunity to take a break from your very busy work in the trenches and expand your thinking through these in-person meetings,” Dr. Goetz said. “This is a shared environment where everybody is focused on making life better for a population of people, where everyone is striving to learn. Being surrounded by this provides a bolt of energy to keep you doing what you’re doing.”
It is uplifting—for you and for your patient—when they come to you without hope but leave with genuine hope that they can make things better.
— John Cleek, MD, FTOS
Dr. Cleek agreed, adding that over the years he has attended ObesityWeek, he has benefited from making contacts with experts and colleagues with whom he can consult or bounce ideas off when he encounters a particularly challenging clinical case. And equally important, he said, keeping track of emerging science and therapies at the conference allows him to share one of the most important clinical tools with his patients—a sense of hope.
“I have worked with many patients who have tried many things but have experienced hormonal adaptations after the treatments and regained weight. They often feel like it is their personal fault that they didn’t respond to surgery or some other therapy,” Dr. Cleek explained. “It lifts a mental burden from my patients when I can share with them the science and personal genetics behind what is happening and explain that it is not their fault. Then, we talk about new approaches we might take. It is uplifting—for you and for your patient—when they come to you without hope but leave with genuine hope that they can make things better.”
View the full ObesityWeek conference program at obesityweek.org. Symposium, plenary, Key Lecture, and oral session recordings will be available as part of ObesityWeek OnDemand beginning late January 2027. Purchase ObesityWeek OnDemand through conference registration by Nov. 17.
Complete Listing of Sessions for Track 5: Clinical and Professional Practice
All listed times are ET. All room locations are in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Events listed with an asterisk (*) signify that the event is cross-listed with other ObesityWeek 2026 program tracks. Listing is current as of Oct. 15, 2026.
